


and when we go crashing down (we come back everytime)

by orphan_account



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Based on a Taylor Swift Song, F/M, Jughead wants to protect Betty, One Shot, Senior year, Southside Serpent Jughead Jones, Southside Serpent Leader Jughead Jones, Toni's a good friend, Veronica's a good friend
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-05-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:55:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24293215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: He looked out the window, “We’re not going to be together Betty.”Betty was confused.  He just said he liked her.“What do you mean, Jug?”His eyes were set on one point outside as hers tried to pull them to her.“I mean, we’re not dating.  We’re not a couple.”Betty was shocked.  And confused.  Also upset and starting to get a little bit angry.” Why not?  I like you; you like me.”  Betty’s voice started to crumble.  She tried to keep her cool, trying to get the last sips of herstrawberry milkshake out of the glass.“Because I said so.  Relationships are two-way things, you know.” Jughead tried to joke.  His eyes still didn’t meet hers, and Bettyknew something was up.“I don’t get it.”  Betty’s voice was barely above a whisper, and Jughead’s glaring eyes finally met hers.  His eyes were glassy, and heshook his head.“We just can’t, Betty.”Or:The Taylor Swift based one shot I felt the need to write
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 5
Kudos: 58





	and when we go crashing down (we come back everytime)

**Author's Note:**

> Ah! This is based off of Taylor Swift's song: Style
> 
> So I don't really know how I feel about this one shot. I had the idea in my head for a while, but I feel like I incorporated the lyrics wierdly. I also have an idea about writing the second verse, so let me know in the comments if you'd like that.  
> Un beta'd so all mistakes are mine. Enjoy!

_{Midnight, you come and pick me up, no headlights.}_

She heard the rumble of his old truck roll into her street and she prayed that it wouldn’t wake her mother. Her phone dinged and Betty knew it was him telling her he was outside.

_As if she wasn’t waiting at her window._

She looked down her outfit, denim cutoffs that she knew drove him crazy, and one of his old flannels that she had stolen from their last late night a month ago. She pulled her hair down from its ponytail and fluffed her hair up, swiped on some lip gloss, a little more tinted than her usual, and opened her window. 

She made her way down the ladder and felt his eyes on her. She shook her ass a little more than usual, hoping that he would notice even in the dark. Betty jumped off the last few rungs of the ladder and ran to his truck that was parked down a few houses from hers.

_{Long drive, could end in burning flames or paradise}_

Betty was never sure what to expect from these meetups. She had suppressed feelings for him, almost sure that they weren’t mutual. They had started this a couple of months ago. He texted her occasionally, asking if she wanted to come out for the night and she always responded yes.

Many times, Jughead brought his motorcycle instead of his truck. She’d only been in the truck twice before. She hopped in, and Jughead turned his head to look at her.

“Hey Betts.”

She shivered from his voice. It was raspy, low enough to be a whisper but loud enough that she could hear him clearly. She’s been harboring feelings for him for years now, so she was excited when these meetups started. At first, she thought that he just wanted to hook up, but they had never done more than hold hands in the car. Betty was grateful. Not that she didn’t want to do other things with Jughead, but if he was just doing this for fun then she wasn’t interested.

“Hi Juggie,” she said, using the name that she had for him when they were younger. Her and Jughead had been childhood best friends since they were 3 years old. Archie Andrews had moved next door to Betty when her and Jughead were 6, and they were the three musketeers from then until high school. When high school started, Archie and Betty stayed friends, but Jughead started to distance himself from them. Archie didn’t mind, saying that it was bound to happen eventually, but Betty wouldn’t let him go. She called and texted, asking if they could meet up, and he texted and called back saying that he was busy.

Until one day, he stopped texting and calling.

Their meetups started strangely. She was walking home alone, tipsy, from one of Cheryl Blossom’s parties and Jughead found her on the road. She told him not to drive her home, because her mom would freak, so they drove around town until Betty sobered up. He gave Betty his new number and told her to call if she needed anything.

She didn’t call. She didn’t need anything from him.

She was angry at first, when he cut her off. 12 years’ worth of friendship down the drain. But then the anger turned into sadness and longing for her old best friend. Archie was great, but Jughead and Betty connected with each other on a different level. They way that he always knew when and how to cheer her up, and she knew when he needed to be left alone and when he needed to be comforted.

So, when he texted her asking her to come out at midnight a couple months ago, she agreed.

_Fade into view, oh, it’s been a while since I have even heard from you._

Now, they’re in their senior year of high school. He still doesn’t talk to her at school and doesn’t respond when she asks to meet up at Pop’s. But, she supposes, these nights are enough.

“It’s been some time,” She said into the silence. He was driving, one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting in the middle between the two seats. She wanted to reach over and lace her fingers through his, but she doesn’t think they could take the hurt if he pulled away.

“I’ve been busy,” He said.

_Of course,_ “I know.”

This was his usual excuse: _I’ve been busy, I’ve got Serpent stuff_ etc.

Usually she would take his bullshit.

But it was their senior year. If she didn’t let him know now, then, when would she?

“Jug-” She started, but Jughead cut her off.

“How’ve you been?” He asked. She looked over at him. He had taken his hand from the middle and was playing with a curl resting on his forehead. 

_Well. This is unusual. He’s nervous._

“I’ve been good. Applying to colleges and all. You?”

Jughead nodded his head, “Me as well.”

She was tired of this. This circle that they went in. They’d start of the night as if they were strangers, and end the night acting as if they were best friends. She’d had enough.

_{And I should just tell you to leave}_

“Jug we should talk.” She said.

Surprisingly, he nodded, “I wanted to talk to you too.”

“Let me go first,” Betty said. Jughead looked at her, his eyebrows raised. Maybe he wasn’t used to seeing her take charge, or maybe he was anticipating what she was going to say.

“This thing that we’re doing…Maybe we should talk about it?”

Jughead smirked as he pulled into the Pop’s parking lot, “What thing, Betty?”

Betty groaned internally; _He really was a dick sometimes_.

Betty opened her door, “I like you Jug. And I think you like me too,” She stepped out of the car, “That thing.” She closed the car door and walked to the Pop’s door. 

_Well, that wasn’t the plan._

She didn’t hear Jughead’s boots following her, but she refused to look back. She was “badass Betty” right now. She showed no fear.

But she felt it.

She sat at her and Jugheads usual booth and saw him texting someone on his phone. He was leaning on the truck and Betty couldn’t help but admire him. 

Briefly she wondered if she shouldn’t have told him. Maybe he was going to tell her that their nightly drives had to stop. Maybe he had a girlfriend she didn’t know about.

But it felt good, getting it off her chest. If he wanted nothing to do with her after this, then so be it. At least this time she would know why.

She saw him push himself off the truck and make his way over to Pop’s, and she quickly looked away from the window. She pulled out her phone and pretended to be texting someone as he slid in next to her.

“I saw you looking through the window, Coop, no need to lie to me.”

Betty blushed, “Are we ordering food, or just shakes?”

Jughead shrugged, “Whatever you want.”

“I’ll just take a shake then.”

_{Cause I know exactly where this leads}_

They sat in an awkward silence for some time before Jughead spoke up.

“I like you too, by the way. Just putting that out there before I say something stupid.” 

Betty smiled at him, “Noted.”

A waitress delivered their milkshakes, and they sipped mindlessly for another couple minutes.

“What’re we doing tonight?” Betty asked.

Jughead shrugged, “Don’t have anything planned. Just thought we’d drive around for a bit.”

Betty nodded, “Sounds good.”

_So, I guess he’s not going to address it?_ She thought.

Jughead opened his mouth to say something, then closed it as if he decided against it.

_Well I guess I will._

“So now what?” she asked. His eyes were glancing around the diner and she caught his gaze.

“We go in the car…” Jughead started.

“You know that’s not what I mean.” Betty said. _If she started the conversation he could at least put in some effort_.

He looked out the window, “We’re not going to be together Betty.”

Betty was confused. He _just_ said he liked her.

“What do you mean, Jug?”

His eyes were set on one point outside as hers tried to pull them to her. 

“I mean, we’re not dating. We’re not a couple.”

Betty was shocked. And confused. Also upset and starting to get a little bit angry.

” Why not? I like you; you like me.” Betty’s voice started to crumble. She tried to keep her cool, trying to get the last sips of her strawberry milkshake out of the glass.

“Because I said so. Relationships are two-way things, you know.” Jughead tried to joke. His eyes still didn’t meet hers, and Betty knew something was up.

“I don’t get it.” Betty’s voice was barely above a whisper, and Jughead’s glaring eyes finally met hers. His eyes were glassy, and he shook his head.

“We just can’t, Betty.”

Betty sat for a moment. 

_Now what?_

She nodded in resolve. She was going to figure out what the hell was going on with him, just not tonight. Tonight, she needed time to collect her thoughts.

She threw a 5-dollar bill on the table and walked out of Pop’s. She heard Jughead following her, and she quickened her pace.

“Betty! Could you wait up?”

Betty whirled around, and Jughead stopped short.

“Why? You want to take that nice long drive now? After you broke my heart a couple minutes ago? Give a girl a break, Jughead.” Her voice raised a little bit, and Jughead reeled back in.

“Okay, I’m sorry. At least let me drive you home.”

Betty shook her head. “I’m going to Veronica’s. It’s not that far from here.”

Jughead nodded, and they stood there for a moment. Betty turned around and started to walk to The Pembrooke.

She shot a text to Veronica, hoping that she was still awake.

_{Watch it go round and round each time}_

**B: Hey Ronnie. Can I come over? (1:10 am)**

**V: Ofc, B. Everything alright? (1:13 am)**

**B: Thank you. I’ll explain when I’m there <3 (1:14 am)**

Jughead took a deep breath as he watched her walk away. He pulled the beanie from his head and threw it into the truck. It landed on the seat that Betty occupied an hour ago. He got into the truck and rested his head on the steering wheel. His phone rang with a call from Toni.

Toni was the only one who knew about his feelings for Betty. She knew about the car rides, the long talks, the fact that Jughead was practically in love with Betty and has been since sophomore year. Toni was the one who told Jughead to tell Betty tonight. Betty beat him to it, admitting her feelings to him, and he thought, _maybe this could finally happen._

Then he got a text from Sweet Pea, saying that him and Fangs had found the Ghoulies suppliers, and he knew that he couldn’t bring her into this.

Watching Betty walk away was one of the hardest things he had to do. He had cut her and Archie off freshman year to protect them, and Betty had weaseled her way back into his life. Now they were back to square one, and Jughead knew it was his fault.

He swiped right on his phone and brought the phone up to his ear.

_“So, how’d it go? Good?”_

Jughead hit his head against the steering wheel and laughed self deprecatingly before resting his head on the wheel once more.

“If it had gone good, I wouldn’t have picked up your call.”

_“Shit, sorry. I thought she liked you.”_

“She does.” Maybe ‘did’ would’ve been a better word.

_“Then what happened?”_

Jughead sighed, “Toni, I can’t bring Betty into my life. If the Ghoulies found out…”

_“I can’t believe you. You pushed her away?”_

“Of course, I did! I care about her too much to lead her straight into a life that she didn’t ask for.”

He heard Toni scoff on the other end of the phone, _“Jones, you know I love you. But you’re so stupid sometimes.”_

“Thanks,” he said drily.

_“You have to do things for you. You and Betty are both leaving for college in a couple months. You, me, Sweets and Fangs will be done with the Serpents in a couple months.”_

“So?” Jughead asked.

_“So, Betty’s not going to wait around for you forever.”_

Jughead lifted his head off the wheel. Toni was right. He couldn’t let Betty go now.

“Thank you, T. I’ll call you in a bit?”

_“Sure. Good luck.”_ She said before hanging up the phone.

Jughead put the car in reverse and backed out of the Pop’s parking lot. 

_{But I watch it go round and round each time.}_

“What a jerk!” Veronica exclaimed.

Betty nodded, “I know! And not only, did he completely shoot me down, he offered no explanation at all!”

Veronica shook her head, “Mark my words, B, he’ll come running back in no time.”

“I won’t give in that easy,” Betty said, sinking further into Veronica’s expensive sheets, “He hurt me, V.”

Veronica pulled Betty in for a hug, and rested her head on Betty’s shoulder, “I know.”

There was a knock at the door and Betty and Veronica pulled apart.

“Come in,” Veronica called.

Smithers, Veronica’s butler came in, “Miss Betty, there is a boy at the door for you. He says his name is Jughead.”

Veronica looked at Betty, “I told you! Do you want me to let him in?”

Betty thought for a moment. “It’s alright, I can go down. Maybe he’ll explain himself.”

Veronica nodded, “If he does or says anything to upset you, remind him that I own multiple pairs of unused 3-inch heels. And I’m not afraid to use them.”

Betty laughed, “I’ll be sure to. Be back soon.”

_{You got that James Dean daydream look in your eye}_

Betty let Smithers lead her down to the lobby where Jughead was sitting. He looked up when he heard footsteps drawing closer. She nodded thanks to Smithers who left them alone.

“It’s been barely an hour,” Betty said.

“I know,” Jughead replied.

They stood in awkwardly in silence and Betty decided to speak up.

“If you’re not here to explain yourself then I’ll just ask Smithers to show you out.” Betty said. While Jughead masked his hurt with humor, Betty masked hers with confidence.

“I am,” Jughead said, “I mean- I am here to explain myself.”

Jughead motioned for Betty to sit in the chair across from him.

“I’m sorry, Betty. I was an asshole, telling you that I like you then rejecting the idea of us being together. I promise I didn’t mean it like that. I mean, I did. But I was stupid, and I realized that I need you in my life, but I was a dumbass, and I said things that I didn’t mean, and-”

Betty cut him off, “Jug, you’re rambling. Start again.” It was slightly amusing, seeing the leader of the Southside Serpents put off

Jughead took a deep breath and nodded, “Right. I’m sorry. I was trying to protect you, just like I was freshman year. I was being a self-deprecating dick, and I realized that I needed to put myself out there. You know me better than anyone, Betty. You know everything that I would feel scared telling someone else. I thought that not being with me would protect you from my life, but the ball is in your court now. You decide whether you want to be with me or not.”

Jughead looked at her deeply, before reaching his hand to take hers, “Call me?”

Betty nodded, thoughts running wild in her head.

Jughead sighed and stood up. He walked to the door and out the Pembrooke and Betty was left alone in the lobby.

It had been a week. A week since that night, and Jughead still hadn’t heard from Betty. Sweet Pea and Fangs tried to find out what was going on, but Jughead snapped at them every time it was brought up.

Toni tried to make him less anxious, but it didn’t help. She assured him that Betty would call. 

Meanwhile, Betty was torn between wanting to make him wait and needing to call him. Veronica told her that another day surely wouldn’t hurt him, but Betty wasn’t so sure it wouldn’t hurt her.

Her fingers itched to press the call button on his contact name, but something held her back. She was sure he wasn’t just sitting and waiting for her call. After all, whenever she saw him in the hallways at school he was smiling.

And not looking her way.

_Fuck it_ , she thought. Her thumb moved on its own accord, and she was surprised when he picked up on the first ring.

_“Betts?”_ His voice was soft. He seemed to be in his trailer, not at the White Wyrm where he usually was after school.

“Hi Juggie,” She said, “Could we meet?”

_“Yes, Pop’s in ten?”_ He asked. She could here him getting up from his couch.

“See you then.”

_{And I got that red lip, classic thing that you like}_

She walked into Pop’s. Jughead was at their usual table, and he stood up once he saw her.

“Betty Cooper,” he murmured, walking up to her, “You are a sight for sore eyes.”

He wrapped his hands around her waist, pulled her body his, and brought his lips to hers. 

Betty was shocked, but after a moment she responded, winding her hands around his neck. She pushed her lips into his, relaxing against him. The feeling of contrast between her cotton sweater against his leather jacket. She broke away for a breath and rested her forehead against his.

“Jug...” she whispered.

“A week. I didn’t hear from you for a week.” He pulled her in closer and she could feel his breath against her neck. He played with her hair, which she had pulled out of her ponytail after returning from school.

“I know, I’m sorry. Veronica told me that making you wait would make you want me more or some bullshit like that.”

Jughead unwrapped his arms from around her and they made their way to their usual booth.

“Nothing could make me want you anymore than I already do.”

Betty blushed and reached for his hands. He intertwined their fingers together.

“So now what?” She asked.

“Well, traditionally, we would go on a date, maybe a couple, I would ask you to be my girlfriend, you would jump into my arms, and we would figure it out from there.”

Betty smiled, “Or, we could screw traditional - because since when does Jughead Jones do traditional? – and you ask me to be your girlfriend right now. And if you won’t then I’ll ask you.”

“What, to be your girlfriend?” Jughead joked.

Betty laughed, “I’m sure you’d say yes.”

Jughead nodded, “To you, of course,” his eyes softened, “But Betty, if you want to do this the right way then-”

Betty shook her head, “There is no right way. It’s me and you, Jug.”

Jughead smiled at that, “Well then, Betty Cooper. Will you be my girlfriend?”

Betty smiled brightly at him, “I’ll think about it.”

_{And when we go crashing down, we come back every time_ _  
'Cause we never go out of style, we never go out of style}  
  
_

**Author's Note:**

> come [tumble](https://latenightcoffeetalks.tumblr.com/) with me!  
> Comments and kudos always appreciated! Love you all!


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